As a new homeowner, you are learning many new things and taking on new responsibilities. You are now responsible for your mortgage as well as other large expenses such as utilities. Often new homeowners don’t realize how expensive their energy bills can become each month if they are not careful. Here are some helpful energy savings tips and pieces of advice for new homeowners. Use energy efficient light bulbs throughout the house. These light bulbs are a little more expensive than regular bulbs, however they are worth the money and the initial investment. Energy efficient bulbs last significantly longer, so...
Moving into your first apartment can be a really exciting time – you get to finally have your own space. This means that you can decorate it the way you want, you can play your own music and you can be the master of your own domain. If you are moving out of your parents’ home, moving into your first apartment can be a revelation. However, renting an apartment can be expensive and there may be a lot of costs that you haven’t taken into consideration. For someone that is not used to making rent their number one responsibility, it can be...
You are moving into a new place and the opportunity is exciting as well as nerve wracking! While you are thrilled to be going somewhere new to start a new chapter of your life, you are also worried about all of the work and expenses that go into a big move. Luckily, if you keep some helpful and essential tips in mind, you can reduce the cost and the amount of time invested in your move. Here are 5 easy and effective ways to save time and money when you move. First of all, you should never spend money on...
Get ready to throw out all your old junk because it is time to sell your home to the next highest bidder. If your home has been sitting on the market for longer than you’d like, there is a good chance that you are making any one of the many cardinal mistakes that new home sellers make. For instance, you may be listing your home for a price that isn’t reasonable for the current housing economy. You may also have a real estate agent that isn’t doing his or her job. Who knows, you may have hit the grand slam...
As if starting up a new business isn’t stressful enough, you also have to figure out how to file your corporate taxes. And you’ll quickly discover that unearthing every possible deduction is an essential part of ensuring that you don’t pay the IRS a cent more than you need to. If you want your business to succeed you can’t throw money away. So here are just a few effective tax deduction strategies that should help you to come out on top. Save every receipt! This is where many new business owners fall short. But you absolutely have to keep receipts...
If you were to ask anyone who works at your local post office when the busiest time of the year is for them, hands down, they are going to tell you that it’s the holiday season. That’s because it’s the time when people are standing in line in order to ship presents to their loved ones all over the country and sometimes even the world. If you plan on being one of those people, then you’ve come to the right article. That’s because we actually want to provide you with a few failsafe tips on how you can save money...
When considering where to keep your money and bring your business, there are lots of options available such as local and national banks as well as credit unions. Often, credit unions are a great option since they provide incentives to customers in the form of rewards, money, discounts and scholarships. If these benefits interest you, a credit union membership may be right for you and your financial needs. Here are the 5 major credit union member benefits. Credit union membership can often provide you with college scholarship opportunities that are exclusive to credit union members. College is a huge expensive and investment,...
Owning a home can come with its list of challenges. Many of these challenges have to do with upkeep, maintenance and general chores. However, some of the challenges have to do with fiscal responsibilities. Not only does home maintenance cost money, you also have to worry about insurance, fees, utility expenses and much more. As a homeowner, preparing for these costs is important if you want to devise your budget accordingly. And for people thinking about purchasing a home, it is critical to know what some of the miscellaneous and necessary expenses are so that you can be sure that...
As a homeowner, it is essential that you have him insurance to protect you, your family and your assets. While it is a necessary expense, you don’t need to pay excessive bills every month. With some research and action, you can reduce you bill to help make it more affordable for your budget and your lifestyle. Here are 5 easy and effective ways to reduce your homeowners insurance bill each month. First, never settle for continuously paying your current rate. If the cost is out of control and unfeasible for you, you can do something about it! Even if you...
If you’re someone who happens to live in apartment, while it does tend to come with certain benefits (like having a landlord who is responsible for your repairs), the reality is that you’re paying money, each month, to simply rent out the space. So, if you happen to be someone who is looking to put money in a savings account towards a new house or if you simply want to keep as much money in your wallet as you can, it’s important that you know about some easy and effective ways to save money on apartment living. We have provided...
There are commonly two steps in the car buying process. There is the part where the dealer uses his or her powers of persuasion to make you fall in love with the vehicle and then once you are ready to buy, you will be moved to the finance department. This is the part of the vehicle buying process where you become a little surprised by all the additional car fees. Some of these fees are appropriate and have to do with taxes, but some have to do with profit margins. Basically, some of these fees are implemented for the sake of...
When you run a small business, your time, money and resources are precious. It is no wonder, therefore, that many small business owners choose to reduce hassle by outsourcing their payroll. Payroll can be time consuming and detail oriented, so often it is much more effective to hire the pros to handle your payroll so that you can focus on running your business and doing what you do best! Here are the top 5 tips for small business employers that want to outsource their payroll. The best way to find a payroll service provider is by word of mouth or...
It’s not always easy to tell the difference between good lawyers and bad ones, but if you get plenty of references, your attorney has a strong history of wins in cases like yours, he is quick to reply to your calls and he patiently answers your questions, he offers you options to do things on your own as a way to cut costs, and most importantly, you feel comfortable and cared for as a client, then chances are you’ve found a lawyer you can trust and rely on. And there are a variety of ways that this type of professional...
Nobody relishes the idea of preparing their annual income tax filing, but it’s something we all must do in order to avoid fines and jail time. We may end up giving a fair chunk of our earnings to the government each year, but we get to live in a country where we are granted unparalleled freedoms. And when you look at how much Canadians pay, 20-25% doesn’t seem so bad. In any case, you can at least lessen the burden of time you devote to your taxes come April by doing some prep work ahead of time. Here are just...
Long-haul trucking is a tough industry, no doubt about it. Not only are the hours long and the deadlines tight, but you also have to deal with paperwork, weigh stations, protecting your cargo and getting it to its destination in one piece, and the dangers of inclement weather, bad roads, and other drivers, just for example. Then there are the psychological and physical hardships that come from sitting by yourself in a truck all day, eating at roadside diners, and leaving your family behind for days, weeks, or months at a time. On the upside, trucking companies often provide decent...
When choosing a car insurance policy, you will want to get the best rate and price possible to help making driving your car on a regular basis safe and much ore affordable. One of the best ways to save a significant amount of money each month on your car insurance is to apply and qualify for safe driver insurance discounts offered by many car insurance companies. Here are some tips about how you can qualify for a safe driver insurance discount. First, be sure to keep your driving record clean. Often if you are found to be at fault for...
Starting a franchise can be a great way to open a business with a solid infrastructure and brand recognition already built in. In terms of marketing, the cost savings are enormous when it comes to opening a franchise. However, you still need some health startup capital to start your franchise, especially for fees, licenses, construction costs and other miscellaneous expenses. Yet, if you are careful, there are numerous ways to save money on your franchise’s startup costs. Many franchisees make the mistake of jumping the gun and spending too much money on some of these initial expenses, but these financial...
Do you have a dream of restoring that old classic in your garage? How about an old junker sitting on a street corner that could be brought back to life? Rebuilding a classic car is one of the best ways to own a beautiful, vintage automobile without the big sticker price that you would find at auto auctions and antique dealers. Indeed, there is a lot of work that goes into rebuilding a classic car, but it can totally be worth it. Moreover, one of the biggest things holding people back from a total car restoration is the investment. But the truth...
With a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can find a good paying job – even without an advanced degree. Most people will tell you that you need an advanced degree to get anywhere in life, but this just isn’t the case. When it comes down to it, there are employers out there that simply want smart creative thinkers that can be an asset to their work environment. Plus, there are some jobs that don’t even require you to visit an office at all. So, if you have a special talent or if you have a love for a specialized field,...
Many people dream of living the high life. However, many people just don’t have the money to travel like the deep-pocketed jet setters of the world. The truth is, though, that just because you don’t have the capital, it doesn’t mean that you can’t experience a luxury travel experience. With a little bit of resourcefulness and creativity, you can see parts of the world that you have always dreamed of seeing. Plus, you can take modes of transportation that you have always dreamed of taking. When it comes down to it, if you look hard enough and do your research,...
Building a new home is a very exciting process. You get to customize the house to your specific wants and needs. At the same time, you can to watch the process from start to finish, for a special and one of a kind experience. While this is an exciting time, it can also be stressful and expensive if you don’t plan ahead properly. Here are 5 smart money-saving tips you need to keep in mind when constructing your new home. Set your budget and stick to it. When planning your budget you will need to factor in various expenses and...
Although there are a lot of things about the summertime to enjoy, if there’s one that none of us looks forward to, it’s the increase in our energy bills; ones that are usually directly related to how much we use our air conditioner. In fact, it’s during the summer months that many of us find ourselves spending more money on electricity than any other time of the year. The good news is that there are a few things that you can do that will help to cool down your air conditioning costs. If you’d be interested in knowing what some...
Dealing with a seemingly uncooperative health insurance company can be incredibly frustrating. While health insurance policies are just trying to protect their assets, it can be hard when an agent tells you that he or she will not be resolving your claim. However, there are numerous ways to handle a claim dispute that don’t involve blowing your top. One of the most important things to know is that you must remain calm and patient. The more frustrated and angry you grow, the harder it will be to resolve your claim. In the end, the more calm and diplomatic you are,...
It’s almost tax time again, which means that you have to find someone to prepare your taxes. As much as we’d like to think we can do our own taxes, it can help to have a professional organize our books and get the most out of our returns. Plus, who actually likes doing their own taxes? So, if you are like the rest of us and don’t like to prepare your own taxes, you need to know how to find the right tax preparer. Not only do you want to make sure to find someone who is truly qualified, but...
If you’re someone who likes to spend time traveling while being out on the open road, have you ever thought about becoming a professional truck driver? There several benefits that come with taking this kind of position. For one thing, you don’t need any kind of previous experience in order to apply. Also, once you are hired, you are able to receive top-notch affordable training that can give you a high-income earning potential. In fact, many owner-operators factor freight bills in order to pay for the upfront costs involved in operating a truck. That’s not to say that there aren’t...
